All for God's Glory

Redeeming Church Scutwork

Louis B. Weeks

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
• Year: 2008
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781566994644
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Church

Nobody likes scutwork, the unwanted dregs of the working day. Pastors are no exception to this, often dreading the endless e-mails and phone calls, having no heart for putting together one more bulletin or attending one more meeting, all of which feels like so much distraction from the "true" pastoral work to which they have been called. Louis Weeks challenges that paradigm and lifts up scutwork as an integral part of pastoral care and leadership. How can we administer congregations in ways most likely to increase the measure of pastoral care? How can our service, in menial and glorious work alike, build up the Body of Christ? How can all the work and worship in this congregation help God's work in the world? Preparation, organization, and other administrative duties are crucial for effective programs and mission in a congregation as elsewhere in society. Preaching, teaching, and pastoral care--three indispensable parts of congregational life--all depend upon competent congregational administration. It is through focused attention to the details of scutwork that pastors are able to build solid relationships within the congregation, and without the trust that comes from these relationships, no true pastoral care and leadership is possible. All for God's Glory explores ways in which churches are engaged and can engage in practices of administration that deepen care and build a healthy congregational community.

Table of contents

• PREFACE
• CHAPTER 1 “Bear one another’s burdens ...” Church Administration and Pastoral Care
• CHAPTER 2 “It is not right ...” The Ministerial Surprise of Scutwork
• CHAPTER 3 “Take the purse ...” Has There Always Been Scutwork?
• CHAPTER 4 “Love binds everything together ...” Two Effective Congregations
• CHAPTER 5 “Lead us not into temptation ...” Temptations in Ministry
• CHAPTER 6 “Glad and generous hearts ...” Governance that Grows Leaders
• CHAPTER 7 “You visited me ...” Organizing Ministries for Visiting
• CHAPTER 8 “Hearts Follow Treasure” Stewardship and Ministry
• CHAPTER 9 “When you come together ...” Administration for Worship
• CHAPTER 10 “Would that all ... were prophets” Give the Work to the People
• CHAPTER 11 “Grace and peace to you ...” A Concluding Letter
• NOTES
• BIBLIOGRAPHY